Automatic sprinkling apparatus.



W. E. HARRIS.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLING APPARATUS.

l APPLTQATION PILED MAR. 2. 1912. f 1,056,901. Patented Mar.25,1913;

Illlll 'Ill nwentor Attorneys WILLIAM nnAnnIs, or EARRISBURG, NORTH CAROLINA.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLIN G APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led March 2, 1912. Serial No. 681,187.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

To all 'whom t may concern 'Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Cabarrus and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Automatic Sprinkling Apparatus,of which the following is a speci- -lcation.

This invention relates to a-ntomatic sprinkling apparatuses, and has for its primary object to provide a novel and improved master valve for controlling the passageof water or other iuid through the piping to "the, sprinkling devices beyond the said master valve, whereby the master valve may be opened when any one of the sprinkling devices is brought into operation.

With the foregoing'and other objects in' View which will be apparent as the invention is better understood, this invention is embodied in the novel construction and combination of parts elicited in the following description and hereinafter claimed, it being understood that this apparatus is susceptible ofnumerous alterations or deviations in its' details within the scope of the appended claimsjwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. A 'l The invention is rillustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, and wherein' Figure 1 is an elevation of a Yportion of the apparatus, partsy being broken` away. 4 Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of the master valve. Fig. 3 is aV sectional detail taken through one of the sprinkling devices. Referring specifically to the drawings, the 40 numeral 5 designates a supply pipe, lwhich is connected to a tank, water main or other supplyof water or other fire extinguishing 1fluid. A vertical master valve, designated generally by the numeral ,1, `is connected to the verticalsupply pipe 5, ahd the lhorizontal sprinkling pipe, designated generally, by the numeral 3, is connected to the master valve l, this sprinkling pipe 3- having a plurality of sprinkling devices, designated generally .by the numeral 2. The master valve embodies a T-coupling 7 forming a valve casing, which has a nipple/or tail ,piece 8 screw threaded or en aged in the upper end, designated 10, this' nipple 8 being connected to the su ply pipe 5 by means of a coupling 6. A cy inder 9 is engaged or screw threaded into the outer or lower end 11 of the cas` ing 7 and has a plurality of perforations or orifices 15 therein. The inner end of the cylmder 9 abuts against the inner endl of the 60 nipple S andthe outer end of the said cylinder is closed. The external diameter of the cylinder is reduced from the inner end thereof to a point short ofits outer end, to provide an annular chamber between the 35 cylinder and the T -coupling, and the internal diameter of the cylinder isl greater than that of the nipple. A piston or valve 13 is slidable in the cylinder 9 and is adapted to seat against the inner end of the nipple 8 70 thereby cutting ofi' the communication from` the supply pipe 5 into the cylinder 9'.v The e section 17 of the sprinkling pipe is engaged s to the angular arm 12 of the valve casing or T-coupling 7, and a piston rod or stem 14 75 is attached to the piston or valve 13 and I passes through the outer end of the cylinder i 9, the said piston and piston rod being adapted to reciprocate. The p sprinkling--Y pipe communicates with the cylinder 9 80 4through the perforations or orifices 15, and

when the piston 13 is 'seated against the n1pple8, communication is shut off between thesupply pipe 5 and the sprinkling pipe,

but when the piston 13 is moved outwardly 85 or away from the nipple 8, communication is established between the supply 5 and the sprinkling pipe 3 through the cylinder 9 and the perforations 15. l

A reducing coupling 1S is connected to the 90 pipe section 17, and a pipe section 19 is connected to the reducing coupling 18, this pipe section 19 being connected to one end 21 of a T-coupling 20. This T-coupling 20 has a pipe sect-ion 23 connected to the other end 95 22 thereof, which pipe section is in turn connected' to the end 21 of T-coupling 20. These pipe sections 17 19 and 23 combine to form the sprinkling pipe 3. l

The sprinkling devices are combined with 10( the couplings Q0 and 20', and consist of ver# tical` cylinders or cups 9 having upwardly inclined aperturesr or orifices 15 therein, which cylinders have their upper ends or mouths screw threaded or engaged upon the angular arms 25 of the said couplings, these angular arms 25 depending`from the sprinkling pipef3 to permit the cylinders 9 todependtherefrom. rEhe outer or lower ends of-each of lthe 'cylinders 9 is closed, and a 110 piston or valve 13l is slidable within the cylinder 9 4and is adapted to seat against slide pastI the apertures successively. The

piston in working snugly in the cylinder or cup and the piston rod in passing slidaloly through the outer end of the cylinder or vbottom of the cup, prevents the piston from being shifted or displaced laterally so as to bind the piston `rod within the outer end ot the cylinder or bottom of the cup. This also provides for the smooth working of the. device, it being noted that as the piston is forced outwardly or away from the T-couplinef` the air ahead of the piston will be forced out. of the outlet apertures beyond the piston, so as not to retard the travel of the piston, and as the piston reaches the outer portion end of ,the cylinder will Jform the cushion to prevent the piston from striking the end of an air cylinder with suiiicient force to cause any injuries. l y

Each. of the sprinkling devices is normally closed by a novel means which will be directly describe-d and which is automatically operable to permit the respective sprinkling device to open upon a predetermined rise of thetemperature in the vicinity of the sprinkling'device, due to fire or other causes. This means consist. in a lever 24 fulcrumed or pivoted to a hanger 16' attached to the sprinklingA pipe, and which lever bears against the outer end ot the correspondingr piston rod or plunger rod 14 parallel with the sprinkling pipe, and a fusible or de Struetiblc cord 2S is connected to the outer or free end of the 'lever 2l and passes over a pulley mounted ina hanger QG attached to the sprinkling ipe, which cord 28 has a weight 29 attache to its free end for swinging the lever Q4 upward ortoward the sprin* kling pipe 3 to force. the piston rod' or plunger rod 14 inwardly and thereby seat the piston 13 against the angular arm Q5 ot the. T-couplings 20 or 20', whichever the case may be. An explosive cap is arranged at the lower end of the weight 29, and when the cord 2i is severed, the weight 29 will drop 4and in striking an object will cause the cap 30 to be discharged or set off to cause an explosion or to give an audible signal.

The master valve is also provided wih means whereby the same will be, normal y held closed and which means is automatically operable to permit the master valve to 'tudinally of the sprinkling pipe and passes of the cylinder` the air in the outer open when one of the sprinkling devices is brought into operation, which means consists in the structure to be directly described. This means consists in a lever 2t fulcrumed or pivoted to a hanger 16 secured to thek T-eonpling or valve casing 7 opposite the' sprinkling pipe, which ,lever 2 swings against the outer end of piston rod ornplunger rod 14 parallel with the ,sprinklingl pipe and has a fusible or destructible cord .28 attached or connected to the free or outer end thereof, this cord 28 passing over a pulley 2T mounted in a hanger Q6 secured to the sprinkling pipe. This cord 28 extends longi into a contiguous relation with each of the cords Q8 of the sprinkling devices and is normally undertension to swin the lever Q-l upwardly or inwardly towar 'the sprinkling pipe 3 to `force the piston rod or plunger rod 14 'inwardly and thereby seat the piston 13 against the nipple 8.

-In operation, the master valveand sprinkling,r devices are norlnally closed,and should the temperature in vicinity of one of the sprinking devices rise to a predetermined or abnormal degree due .to fire or other causes, the correspondingcord 2S will be fused or desti-acted. which change will cause the cord to be severed. This severing ot the cord 28 will permit the lever Q4 to drop or swing. away from the sprinkling pipe 3, in which event, the piston rod or plunger rod 14 will be free to slide.outwardly. the fluid pressure forcing the piston 13' outwardly withinthe cylinder 9'. This outward movement of the piston 13 will establish a communication. from the sprinkling pipe 3' into the cylinder 9. Simultaneously with the movement of the. lever '24. the weight 29 will drop. which when the said vweight strikes an object will cause the cap 30 to be discharged to give an 'audible signal. warning those within hear-` ing 'thereof of the fire or other impending danger. The cord Q8 extending into a con- 110 tiguous relation with'eaeh of the cords 28 will be fused or severed simultaneously with the cords Q8', which will permit the lever '24 to drop or swing away from the Sprinkling pipe 3. in which event, the piston rod 115 or plunger rod ll' will be free to slide outy ward. rThe water pressure within the sup- I ply pipe 5 will therefore force the piston 13 away from the nipple S and toward the outer end of the cylinder 9, which will establish a 120 communication from the supply pipe 5 into the cylinder 9 through the end thereof, and then through the apertures or perforations l5 into the sprinkling pipe 3. The water or other fiuid will then rush into the sprin- 125 kling pipe and into the sprinkling device which has been opened, to permit the water to be sprayed or discharged through the apertures or orifices l5 of the cylinder 9'.

In this manner, should a tire break out or an 130 be provided, either for one room,

explosion occur in the vicinity of vone of the sprinkling devices, the corresponding cord 28 will be severed and the cord 28 will also be severedsimultaneouslywhich will permit the valve of the sprinkling device to open and which will permit the master valve to open simultaneously therewith to permit the water to pass into the sprinkling pipe and out of the sprinkling device to extinguish the ame or fiames. The master valve l, therefore, controls the passage ot the water through the piping and being normally closed withholds the Water from the sprinkling pipes. This is of advantage for the reason that the sprinkling pipe is usually exposed, with a tendency of the water therein to freeze. lVi-th the apparatus as described, t-he water is withheld from the sprinkling pipe until necessity requires, when the master valve is opened to permit the waterto rush into the sprinkling pipe and be discharged through the sprinkling device or devices. It will also be seen, that each of the sprinkling devices is normally closed, and upon the water 'entering the sprinkling' pipe', the same will only be discharged from the sprinkling device which has been opened.

In use, the sprinkling pipe 3 is passed through the room or other locality to be protected against fire, 'preferably along the ceiling or along one of thewalls, and it is understood that numerous sprinkling pipes may or for the various rooms or otlices of a building, all of which sprinkling pipes may be controlled .with one master valve, or with a plurality of master valves, as lnay be desired or essential, and which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is also understood, that the cords 28 and 28 may be extended, by means of pulleys or other guides, to various localities within the room or rooms, in which localities fires or other damaging activities are liable to occur. In thus extending the cords` 28 and 28', the severing of the cords'/ is assured, and it is also understood that the cords 28 and 28 may not onl be severed by a rise in temperature, but a so by an eX- plosion, or by other similar means.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In an apparatus of the character'described, a T-coupling, a nipple screw-thread# ed into one end of the T-coupling and adapted to be connected to a supply pipe, a per forated cylinder screw-threaded into the other end of the coupling with its inner end abutting against the nipple and having its outer end closed, 'a piston in the cylinder seatable against the nipple, and a piston rod attached to the piston and passing slidably through the outer end of thel cylinderfor control by temperature governed means, the

angular arm ot' the T-coupling being adapted` for the attachment of a sprinkling pipe.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a T-coupling, a nipple screw threaded into one end of the T-coupling, and adapt: ed to be connected to a supply pipe, a pei*- forated cylinder screw-threaded vinto the other end of the coupling with its inner end abutting against the inner end of the nipple, the outer end of the cylinder being closed, t-he external diameter of the cylinder being reduced from the inner end 'to a point short of its outer end, and the internal diameter of the cylinder being greater than that of the nipple, a piston in the cylinder seatable against the inner end of the nipple, and a piston rod attached to the piston and passing slidably through the outer end ofv the cylinder for control by a temperaturegoverned means, the angular arm of the T-coupling being adapted for the attachment of a sprinkling pipe.

In testimony that I claim` the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atlixed my slgnature in the presence of tWo witnesses.

WILLIAM'E. Hansis..

Witnesses JOHN P. ALLisoN, JAMES F. HoNEYoUT'r. 

